Maddy summaryHB 2171, the "Oklahoma Uniform Unlawful Restrictions in Land Records Act," allows property owners and homeowners' associations to remove discriminatory restrictions from land records. It creates a specific process for owners to file an amendment with the county clerk to eliminate restrictions based on race, religion, disability, or other protected characteristics, which violate anti-discrimination laws. Homeowners' associations can also remove such restrictions without member votes by amending their governing documents. The law requires amendments to clearly identify the affected property and state that only unlawful restrictions are removed, leaving valid restrictions intact. This directly affects property owners and HOAs holding discriminatory covenants in recorded documents.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 623 requires that protective orders in domestic abuse cases be served to the accused person within 24 hours of issuance, with priority service available 24/7 when the defendant's location is known. It mandates electronic service between counties via sheriff's offices and allows sheriffs to use private process servers or other law enforcement if initial service fails. The bill directly affects domestic abuse victims (by expediting protection) and law enforcement (by changing service protocols), while ensuring orders have statewide validity for cross-jurisdiction service. These changes aim to improve the speed and reliability of serving protective orders to enhance victim safety.
Maddy summaryThis bill creates the "Oklahoma Uniform Unlawful Restrictions in Land Records Act," allowing for the removal of unlawful restrictions in property records. An unlawful restriction is defined as a prohibition based on protected characteristics like race or religion that violates state or federal law. Individual property owners can record an amendment to remove such a restriction from their specific property. Owners associations can also amend their governing documents to remove these restrictions without a member vote, and members can request the association to do so. The bill specifies the content and recording process for these amendments with the county clerk.
Maddy summarySB 623 amends the Protection from Domestic Abuse Act in Oklahoma, focusing on the service of protective orders. It requires an initial attempt to serve emergency protective orders and notices of hearing upon the defendant within 24 hours of issuance. The bill clarifies that these orders can be served at a county jail if the defendant is in custody and have statewide validity. Additionally, it allows a petition for a protective order to be renewed every 14 days with a new hearing date until the defendant is served, upon the petitioner's request.
Maddy summarySB 978 modifies Oklahoma's requirements for formatting property-related documents submitted to county clerks for recording. It mandates minimum margins (2 inches top, 1 inch elsewhere), specifies document size (max 8.5x14 inches), and requires legibility using xerographically reproducible ink. The bill also adds a $1 fee per legal description exceeding 25 per page on a single document. It directly affects property owners, real estate professionals, and lenders who file deeds, mortgages, or leases. The changes apply to all documents filed after July 1, 2025, including existing records.
Maddy summarySenate Bill 978 modifies the requirements for documents, such as deeds and mortgages, submitted to county clerks for recording in Oklahoma. The bill specifies that stray markings or parts of signatures within a document's margin will not prevent its acceptance for filing, as long as sufficient space remains for official stamps and recording information. It also prohibits county clerks from charging additional fees or fines for these stray markings. Existing requirements for document legibility, size, and minimum margin dimensions (two inches at the top of the first page, one inch for others) remain. This act is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025.
Maddy summaryHB 2166, titled "Definitions and general provisions; newspapers; notices; publications; effective date," appears to modify regulations concerning how notices and publications are handled. A proposed amendment specifically alters a definition on line 6 of the bill, adding the phrase "general periodical" into a provision related to "class mail." This change would refine the classification or requirements for certain types of mail used for notices or publications. It likely affects entities involved in sending or receiving such communications, particularly those utilizing periodicals.
Maddy summaryHB 2168 would have prohibited Oklahoma public agencies from including terms in construction contracts for public projects (like roads or buildings) that require or discourage union agreements, or discriminate based on a contractor’s union status. It specifically banned language in bid specifications that forced contractors to join unions or treated union-affiliated bidders differently. The bill applied to all public improvement projects funded by the state, affecting both agencies issuing contracts and the contractors bidding on them. However, the bill failed in committee on April 8, 2025, and did not become law.
Maddy summaryHB 2168 prohibits state agencies from including specific terms in construction bid specifications for public projects. It bans requirements that force contractors to join or avoid union agreements, or that discriminate based on a bidder's union status. This directly affects construction companies bidding on state-funded projects like roads or buildings, and the agencies issuing those contracts. The bill failed in committee on April 8, 2025, so it did not become law.
Maddy summaryHB 2169 increases fees for money transmission businesses (like Western Union or MoneyGram) operating in Oklahoma. It requires a $5-$10 fee per transaction under $500, plus 1-2% on amounts over $500, with quarterly payments to the Oklahoma Tax Commission. The fees fund a Drug Money Laundering Revolving Fund, and businesses must notify customers they can claim a tax credit for the fee when filing income taxes. The law takes effect November 1, 2025, and includes enforcement measures like license suspensions for non-compliance.